Dog reunited with his owner after an icy rescue on the river

Following a dramatic rescue from the ice on the Mississippi River, Beezer, a young Labradoodle mix, is back at home with his owner.

On Dec. 7, a man called 911 to report that a dog was stranded on the ice on the Mississippi River near the Lowry Avenue Bridge. Minneapolis Animal Care & Control officer Nick Wasche was dispatched to the scene, and when he arrived, he saw that Beezer was standing on solid ice in the river.

Wasche asked a nearby construction crew to lend a hand with a rescue, and the crew used their tugboat to break through the ice, get close to Beezer, and lift him from the water. Once out of the water and on land, Wasche took Beezer to one of the City’s emergency veterinary clinics, where he was examined and found to be in good health. Beezer was then taken to the Minneapolis Animal Care & Control shelter, and was reunited with his owner later that evening.

Beezer’s story has a happy ending, but it’s an important reminder to be careful with pets around ice this winter, and if you see an animal on the ice, call 911 right away. Do not attempt to rescue the animal yourself, because it may put you and the animal at greater risk of falling through the ice.

Returning Beezer to his owner is just one of many reunions that Minneapolis Animal Care & Control makes happen every year. Licensed pets in Minneapolis are three times more likely than unlicensed pets to go home again, so make sure your pet is licensed.

In Minneapolis, dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets are required to be licensed, and when Animal Control officers find a licensed pet, it gets a free ride home, instead of a ride to the animal shelter. For more information on how to license your pet in Minneapolis, go www.minneapolismn.gov/animals or call 311.